At least five political parties will be registering their respective candidates in Monday’s Nomination Day process for the upcoming Local Government Election.
The election will be held on August 14 for the 141 electoral areas across Trinidad’s 14 regional corporation districts.
On Monday, candidates will present their registration documents to the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s 55 returning officers across Trinidad.
Candidates will have to pay a $2,000 fee to file nominations. This is refunded if they get one eighth of the votes cast.
Contesting the election are the People’s National Movement (headed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley), United National Congress (led by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar), National Transformation Alliance (helmed by Gary Griffith), Movement for Social Justice (led by David Abdulah), Progressive Empowerment Party (led by Phillip Alexander) and the Reunited Farmers’ Association (led by Devika Thomas).
Yesterday, Congress of the People interim leader Kirt Sinette said his party is looking at registering candidates on Monday for some areas in the Tunapuna and San Fernando corporations and “would decide later on if it contests alone or will appear on another party’s platform.”
The PDP signalled months ago that it would contest in the Port-of-Spain and East West corridor areas. On June 8, PDP chairman Sean Nedd said the party would “be definitely contesting the 12 seats in the city of Port-of-Spain.” He said the “remaining seats and potential choice of seat for PDP leader Watson Duke would “remain a part of the internal strategy of the party.”
Yesterday Nedd, said, “PDP is contesting several areas and is reviewing its choices. What is tentatively confirmed is running for all seats in Port-of-Spain. Confirmations will come primarily on Nomination Day.”
New faces in UNC’s Grande frontline
The PNM will present its candidates - many new faces amid some incumbents - at a special convention tomorrow at the National Academy for the Performing Arts in Port-of-Spain.
The UNC presents its candidates on Monday at Naparima Boys’ auditorium - also a mix of incumbents, as well as new faces, including in Sangre Grande and other key seats. Other parties will also present theirs at the same time next week.
In the 2019 LG election, seven parties contested - the PNM, UNC, COP, MSJ, MND, Louis Lee Singh’s Port-of- Spain People’s Movement and Ursus Daniel’s NTP. The PNM and UNC tied seven each for the 14 corporations. The PNM won 72 of the 139 seats being contested then but lost the popular vote to the UNC.
For the upcoming LG election, there are new seats - Couva West/Roystonia in the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo corporation area and Mayaro North in the Mayaro/ Rio Claro area.
There are also changes to 22 boundaries within the municipal electoral area of Chaguanas, Point Fortin, Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Siparia, and Penal/Debe. That resulted in name changes in certain the districts of Couva, Mayaro and Rio Claro.
The seats in the 14 corporations currently number: PoS (12), San Fernando (9), Arima (7), Point Fortin (6), Chaguanas 8), Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo (14), Digeo Martin (10), Mayaro-Rio Claro (6), Penal-Debe (10), Princes Town (10) Sangre Grande (8), San Juan/Laventille (14), Siparia (9), Tunapuna/Piarco (14).
The preliminary voters’ list was issued on Tuesday. Voters have until June 28 to make any changes related to election registration issues - such as change of name or address. The final voters’ list will be issued subsequently by the EBC. In the 2019 LG poll, the electorate was 1,079, 976 and there was a 34.4 per cent voter turnout.